[Muscular tumors of the digestive tract: an analysis of 53 cases].

We present 53 cases of gastrointestinal smooth tumors (43 leiomyomas and 10 leiomyosarcomas) which have being diagnosed in Virgen del Camino Hospital during a period of 17 years. The aim of the research is to know the incidence of such tumors, their clinical presentation, the usefulness of radiologic and endoscopic studies for their diagnosis, as soon as to make a bibliographic revision of new diagnostic and therapeutic methods. This kind of tumor had an incidence of 3.1 cases per year. The symptomatology because of which the patients consulted depended on the location and the size of the tumors, though 18% of the cases were asymptomatic and were found in surgical operations. Endoscopic biopsy had a diagnostic sensibility of 28%; it didn't obstruct later exeresis. It has to be emphasized that, according to our bibliographic revision, there is a growing importance of endoscopic echography, not only as for diagnosis, but also as for non surgical treatment of this kind of tumor. Endoscopic resection can be a valid alternative for exeresis of small tumors (less than 2 cm according to some authors); haemorrhage is the most frequent complication, though it can be easily controlled.